|
|
ANTIQUE LAMP AND LIGHT FIXTURE RESTORATIONRestoration, cleaning, refinishing, and rewiring of historic lamps, chandeliers, sconces, and architectural fixtures.
Chelsea Plating Company in Philadelphia restores antique lamps and light fixtures for clients in the city and across the United States. Projects range from brass table and floor lamps to chandeliers, wall sconces, outdoor lanterns, and maritime, church, and architectural lighting. Many visitors first find the workshop while searching for antique lamp repair, lamp rewiring, or light fixture restoration near them and choose to ship their pieces to Philadelphia. Surfaces are cleaned, finishes clarified or adjusted, and wiring renewed so fixtures are ready for decorative and typical residential use. Packing and shipping guidance is provided before pieces are sent, and return shipping is arranged from the studio when work is complete.
Send clear photos and dimensions to begin.
|
AT A GLANCE
|
Blue glass and brass table lamps — tarnished bases polished and wiring renewed.
|
TABLE, FLOOR, AND DESK LAMPSTable and floor lamps are often the most familiar pieces in the workshop: reading lamps, library lamps, student lamps, and mid-century designs in brass, chrome, and glass. Articulated banker’s and library lamps, gooseneck task lamps, and student lamps frequently arrive with deep tarnish, uneven patina, and outdated or unsafe wiring. Bases and arms are cleaned, polished, and, when appropriate, relacquered so joints and profiles read clearly again.
Chelsea Plating Company also restores lamps built from porcelain vases, figural table lamps, and mixed-material designs with glass bodies and marble bases. Decorative mounts are cleaned and polished while ceramic or glass components are treated in coordination with the studio’s ceramic and porcelain restoration services. Rewiring replaces aged sockets and cords with modern components, while pull chains and switches are checked so the finished lamp feels coherent and reliable in daily use. For desk and task lighting, such as gooseneck and industrial lamps, the aim is to stabilize the structure, clarify the surface, and retain the character of a working tool. Shades, diffusers, and glass globes are cleaned or replaced with period-appropriate examples as needed. |
Tiffany Studios “Nautilus” desk lamp — patinated bronze base and leaded-glass shade carefully cleaned.
|
CHANDELIERS, SCONCES, AND ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTINGCeiling fixtures and wall lighting often define a space more than any other object. The workshop treats French Rococo and Louis XV–style chandeliers, Gothic and Neoclassical fixtures, church lighting, and silverplated and nickel-plated multi-arm lights with glass shades. Complex cast surfaces are cleaned to remove soot, oxidation, and failing lacquer, then polished so foliage, medallions, and architectural motifs are legible without looking over-polished.
Wall sconces and bracket lights range from simple single-arm fixtures to figural and Gothic lantern-style brackets. Arms, backplates, and decorative figures are disassembled as needed, with joints tightened and alignment corrected so pairs read as a matched set. When fixtures have been converted from gas or oil, older fittings and evidence of the original system are retained where possible while integrating safe electrical components. Transitionally wired “gas and electric” ceiling fixtures receive similar treatment, with cast canopies and fitments cleaned, polished, and rewired. Architectural lighting includes hall lanterns, post-top street-style lanterns, and mixed-metal outdoor fixtures that have seen decades of weathering. Copper and brass surfaces with heavy verdigris are cleaned and polished, then usually relacquered to slow future tarnish while preserving crisp edges and moldings. Glass panels and lenses are cleaned or replaced, and hanging or bracket hardware is checked so the restored fixture can be reinstalled with confidence. |
Gothic Revival brass chandelier — complex frame straightened, polished, and fully rewired.
|
PROCESS, REWIRING, AND SHIPPINGEvery lighting project begins with photographs and dimensions, followed by an in-person assessment once the piece arrives in the Philadelphia workshop. Fixtures are disassembled as needed, and all parts are labeled so arms, bobeches, finials, and hardware return to their proper locations during reassembly. Old lacquer and surface contamination are carefully removed, corrosion is reduced, and finishes are brought to the agreed level of brightness.
Rewiring is carried out with modern sockets, cords, and internal connections appropriate to the fixture’s design. Where possible, new wiring is threaded through existing channels and arms so the original proportions and silhouettes remain unchanged. For converted oil and student lamps, original fonts and burner elements may be retained as visual features while the electric system is routed discreetly. All work takes place in the Philadelphia studio; on-site work and installation are not offered. Before shipping, clients receive packing and shipping guidance specific to their lamp or fixture so arms, shades, and glass elements are supported. Once restoration is complete, the fixture is reassembled and tested in the studio and then prepared for return shipping with the same level of care. |
Antique exterior lantern — weathered frame cleaned, panels refreshed, and fixture prepared for reuse.
|
Send clear photos and dimensions to begin.
